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Leishmaniasis - Treatment

Alternative Names

Kala-azar

Treatment:

Medicines called antimony-containing compounds are the main drugs used to treat leishmaniasis. These include:

Meglumine antimonate
Sodium stibogluconate

Other drugs that may be used include:

Amphotericin B
Fluconazole
Pentamidine

Plastic surgery may be needed to correct the disfigurement caused by sores on the face (cutaneous leishmaniasis). Patients with drug-resistant viral leishmaniasis may need to have their spleen removed (splenectomy).

Expectations (prognosis):

Cure rates are high with the proper medicine. Patients should get treated before damage to the immune system occurs. Cutaneous leishmaniasis may lead to disfigurement.

Death is usually caused by complications (such as other infections), rather than from the disease itself. Death often occurs within 2 years.

Complications:

Deadly infections due to immune system damage
Disfigurement of the face
Bleeding (hemorrhage)

Calling your health care provider:

Contact your health care provider if you have symptoms of leishmaniasis after visiting an area where the disease is known to occur.

Leishmaniasis

Leishmaniasis, mexicana - lesion on the cheek

Leishmaniasis on the finger

Leishmania panamensis on the foot

Leishmania panamensis - close-up

Reviewed last on: 8/28/2009
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; and Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Jeronimo SMB, DeQueiroz-Sousa A, Pearson RD. Leishmaniasis. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier;2007:chap 369.

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